Navy of the Armed Forces of Montenegro has significantly enriched its capacities with the conversion of a gunboat into a patrol boat, said the Minister of Defense, Predrag Bošković.

The Minister visited the Navy, together with the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Force of Montenegro, Brigadier general, Dragutin Dakić.

The motive for this visit was the presentation of the capacities of the new patrol boat.

Minister Bošković said that this was just the first boat to be reconstructed for the Navy. Very soon, gunboat 406 will also be converted. The works will be completed in April.

Captain of the frigate, Jusuf Januz, informed the guests from the Ministry and the General Staff about the performances of the new patrol boat.

“The boat is 45 meters long, 12 meters high and 8 meters wide. The special attention during the reconstruction was given to the security. Therefore, motors have been completely changed; the boat is new, lifts are new, the navigation equipment as well”.

Minister Bošković said that they had enhanced the capacities of the Navy and the Armed Forces of Montenegro. The boat will take part in the big military training Adrion Arex whose host this year will be Montenegro.

Text by CDM on March 15, 2019, read more at CDM

15 March 2019 - According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Mulutin Simović, Montenegrin wine growing and winemaking sector is making significant progress and will have even stronger government support in the coming years. As Simović assessed, Montenegrin dedicated wine growers and wine makers, as well as growing support provided by the Government of Montenegro, is responsible for the evidenced development of this sector, for which the country does have natural predispositions.

The support of the Government for the winemaking sector is crucial, as the agricultural budget funding is increasing by the year. The European pre-accession funds also support this sector.

During the visit of the IX International Wine Salon MonteVino 2019 held in Podgorica, Simović said that one of the indicators of the development of the sector is the fact that in 2019, Montenegro noted 227 wine growers and 108 wineries in the wine growing register. "We remind you that in 2007 when we embarked on a strong development project for Montenegro for this important sector, we had only four wineries in the register," Simović added.

He pointed out that it is essential that Montenegro has numerous old wineries with a long tradition, which can still keep track of modern trends and produce high-quality wine. Simović said that the optimistic predictions for the winemaking sector development are created based on the country’s valuable winegrowers and winemakers, who are following the latest technologies and standards, preserving the importance of Montenegrin winegrowing sector. Montenegro takes great pride in its unique and recognizable winemaking tradition that is passed through many generations.

During his visit to this prestigious wine event, Deputy Prime Minister Simović greeted all the exhibitors, including 22 wineries from Montenegro that took part in the manifestation/

The Minister also expressed encouragement with the fact that the number of domestic exhibitors at the MonteVino event grows year after year and the belief that the number of Montenegrin quality winemakers that take part in the manifestation will increase in the coming years.

He evaluated that the presence of wineries from other countries, especially the region, sends a message from Montenegro about the country’s openness, readiness and consistency in respect of signed free trade agreements. At the same time, the Montenegrin minister expects that local wines get the same welcoming reception when they perform on regional markets.

14 March 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković recently hosted Ambassador of the Kingdom Sweden to Montenegro Jan Lundin. The meeting noted that Montenegro is making progress on its path towards the European Union and achieving significant results, especially noteworthy are the results in the field of the rule of law, i.e., in the fight against organised crime and corruption. 

Prime Minister Marković said that the first phase of the negotiations was brought to an end and expressed the belief that Montenegro will receive final benchmarks for chapters 23 and 24 by the end of the year, which will give additional impetus to the process and the dynamics of closing negotiating chapters. 

"Although they need to be further strengthened, Montenegrin institutions are working, sustainable and independent, and they deliver results. We have results in the fight against corruption, a high-level corruption, and a big blow is delivered to organised crime," the Prime Minister emphasised. 

Ambassador Lundin noted the results achieved in this field and welcomed the opening of Chapter 27, stressing that Sweden will continue to support Montenegro in its European integration process. 

Prime Minister Marković informed the Ambassador about economic policy results over the past two years, which reflect economic growth of over 4.5 percent, reduce administrative unemployment by more than 6 percent, raise the number of employees by more than 11,000 and reduce the deficit, noting the activities which will lead to the budget surplus in 2020. 

Furthermore, the two officials discussed the situation in the region. PM Marković pointed out that Montenegro advocates a policy of peace and stability, and peacefully resolves problems through dialogue. 

"Montenegro is a civil state and this concept is our highest value," the Prime Minister highlighted.

13 March 2019 - Interior Minister Mevludin Nuhodžić said in response to a reiterated statement by Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama on the "Schengen borders between Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo", that Montenegro and the Republic of Albania have excellent friendly and good neighborly relations, that they have opened a common border crossing almost a decade before other countries of the region, and that it will be possible to speak of the Schengen border model in this region when the Western Balkan countries adopt standards and have relations that the Schengen countries have.

"Montenegro and the Republic of Albania have excellent friendly and good neighborly relations. Ten years ago (2009) we opened a joint road border crossing Sukobin - Murićani, with the possibility of joint control. Some other countries in the region have done it for almost a decade after us. But we did not stop. In the second half of last year, after the joint session of the two governments, we signed the Agreement on the opening of the joint border crossing Ckla - Zogaj," said Minister Nuhodžić in response to yesterday's statement of the Prime Minister of Albania given at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev.

When it comes to the faster and simpler crossing of the border, interior minister Nuhodžić added that in the country's focus is primarily the security of the state and citizens.

"We are aware that there are increasingly serious threats such as organised crime, smuggling, illegal migration and terrorism. Therefore, we pay special attention to strengthening the capacity for safer borders. The purpose of the Schengen agreement at the European Union level was precisely, not only to abolish internal border control, but also to create better conditions for monitoring external borders and combating cross-border crime. In this regard, Montenegro, with the support of the European Commission, successfully implements measures towards reaching the Schengen standards. In the framework of the implementation of the Schengen Action Plan, we are committed to modernising the infrastructure at the border crossings, better technical equipment and training of the Border Police," Minister Nuhodžić said.

"Our goal is to make the border as it was before, for the faster flow of people and goods, and as closed as possible for criminals. And when we adopt the Schengen standards and have Schengen relations at the level of the countries of the Region, then we can talk about the Schengen border,“ Interior Minister Mevludin Nuhodžić concluded.

14 March 2019 - If it still wants to be one of the creators of global policies, to be competitive and stay in the big game, Europe has to be united and immune to populism and nationalism of any type, thus making way for the progressive global flows, said President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, at the 7th Global Baku Forum, Azerbaijan.

In this way, he pointed out, Europe would contribute to the preservation of Euro-Atlantic as one of the greatest achievements of civilization after World War II.

Azerbaijan has been an initiator and organizer of many important international events and it significantly contributed to the regional and global stability, which inevitably caused positive reactions of all friends of Azerbaijani people, including Montenegrins as well.

“We need adequate foreign policy in all countries, big and small ones, new and old ones, especially in these times of accelerated history, new political and security challenges, new technologies which make diplomatic activities digital,” President Đukanović said.

Each one of us has its view on this matter, according to him.

“I speak from a small Balkan country that has become the NATO member state, the leader in the accession negotiations with the EU and one of the region’s leading economies for only 13 years since it restored its statehood and regained the international recognition,” added Mr Đukanović.

He also called in mind that 2019 would be marking 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“When we take a look at today’s European and global scene, the relations among powerful forces – Russia and NATO, Russia and the European Union, East and West, a single question emerges: is the Berlin Wall really destroyed or it still exists in our minds?”

Mr Đukanović noted that there are no ready formulas for new foreign policies, but to be successful and appropriate, they must be committed to pursuing the multiethnicity and multiculturalism in all social systems at the local level, as well as the multilateralism at the global level.

This is the first time President Đukanović takes part at the Global Baku Forum in Azerbaijan.

Text by CDM on March 14, 2019, read more at CDM

President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, said that current protests “aren’t civil but entirely political”.  He has one message for the organizers of protests who requested his resignation several times – he definitely won’t comply with such requests. In the interview for the Public Service of the Television of Montenegro, Mr. Đukanović commented on the case of the tycoon, Duško Knežević and said that “Knežević is the biggest problem for himself”. Mr. Đukanović pointed out that he wasn’t afraid and that he had never even thought of finding a spare homeland.

“Requests of those protests are political. We haven’t heard of any social request that would be a characteristic of civil protests. What should attribute a civil character to the protests is the fact that, formally, their leaders aren’t leaders of political parties but rather people who, until yesterday, were members of different parties- some of them were members of the Liberal alliance and others were members of some national parties. However, they weren’t creators of party policies, they were only participants of those policies and today, they are supposed to be a guarantee of a civil character of protests”, said Mr. Đukanović.

He added that the political idea was actually articulated by opposing parties and parapolitical structures in Montenegro.

“The parapolitical structures I’m talking about are those structures that have been organizing and promoting protests in Montenegro for years, and whose main idea has always been a violent change of government. “Vijesti” is definitely one of those structures, as well as a specific number of opposing media who are constantly trying to hide under the cloak of independent media. Their policy is the policy of creating assemblies and instrumentalizing opposition and civil activists that are supposed to do the job that represents some kind of a common objective – change of power in Montenegro”, said Mr. Đukanović and added that “this is a request for deforming the state, for the destruction of institutions”.

He emphasized that not a single Montenegrin flag could be seen during those protests.

“All this is actually a conglomerate of very different, usually political interests. I know there are people who aren’t happy with their life, with their professional or political status and, believe me I deeply respect that. But, everybody must be careful – such an idea that we’re guided by can be misused and we must not let that happen. Protest of that kind could easily become part of that protest whose ultimate goal is the destruction of Montenegro and its European perspective”, said the President.

He won’t resign

Asked if he will resign on 16 March, as requested by the participants of the protest, Mr. Đukanović said to the journalist: “I can’t believe you are serious”.

“Of course I won’t”, replied Mr. Đukanović.

Mr. Đukanović said he “is glad that some demonstrators refused to go on with protests in case their requests aren’t met since they are afraid of chaos or something similar”. That tells him that those people out there are quite sensible.

“Sensible people who are able to identify their own responsibility. I’ll say it again- it is legitimate to take part in a civil protest and present one’s own demands and request to satisfy the demands through the communication with the government. But once you are in it, you have to be aware that you are assuming responsibility for something that such protests could turn out into. Therefore, I’m happy to hear that they think so. There will surely be protests, but let them be”, said Mr. Đukanović.

The “Envelope” affair and Knežević

Protests were formally sparked by the “Envelope affair”, opened by Duško Knežević. Opposing parties invite Knežević to “stick to Instagram because citizens aren’t interested in his stories about transitional government”.

Journalists asked Mr. Đukanović if Knežević is a heavier burden for the government of opposition. He answered that Knežević is, and has always been, the heaviest burden for himself.

“He’s not the problem of the government. He’s not the problem of the opposition either. I think it’s not true that Duško Knežević managed to corrupt Montenegrin society. Knežević is obviously a man who had done some suspicious things and who is well aware that he is under investigation now and that the indictment is probably close. He asked to avoid procedure at several addresses. After he got a logical answer, that there’s no such political authority that is able to order judge or prosecutor to do anything, he decided to flee from Montenegro and to transfer his case form judicial to political terrain”, said Mr. Đukanović.

In his opinion, the picture of Montenegro as being a country of a corrupt society that is trying to be created today is the constituent part of the same media machinery that is trying to use Duško Knežević, and other Knežević people, to achieve its own goals.

“Some high-quality newspapers used to be sold here. They used to cost even €20.000 or €30.000. Today, something is compensated through portals, but not enough. The need of those who had that financial power is to, firstly, maintain that power and, secondly, to transform it into political and social power once they realize that they can’t actually maintain it without political engagement. That’s the need to be political center of power, under the cloak of independent media”, said Mr. Đukanović.

Furthermore, he believes that they used different techniques to reinforce their power or to overcome this time of crisis.

“Those arrangements were partly at the expense of the country. Do I need to remind you, that their own partner, German Vac, abandoned them with a very accurate indictment that they had left that partnership due to dual bookkeeping and tax evasion? The second model reflected in various benefits that the government granted them thanks to, I believe, honorable intentions to create conditions for media pluralism in a small and insufficiently powerful economy. Even with those media deformities we are witnesses of, the only thing that is even worse is some kind of media monopoly”, said Mr. Đukanović.

According to him, even the third circumstance has been misused – the sensitivity of European institutions in relation to the need for media independence and media pluralism.

He is not afraid of Knežević’s video recordings

Duško Knežević is announcing new compromising video recordings which he is going to publish soon. Asked if he is personally afraid of some video recording or if his party has any worries about that, Mr. Đukanović said – NO.

“I really haven’t got any reason to be afraid. I was warned that this man would start a war, inclusive of this entire repertoire, but despite that, I have never thought that it should be prevented. On the contrary, we learn to go through such experiences. It’s not pleasant, it really isn’t. I wouldn’t be honest if I told you that I’m OK with that. We all know that thanks to modern technologies, it’s possible to make a video recording, edit it anyway”,  pointed out Mr. Đukanović.

The connection between the protests and the expectation of the judgment for the coup attempt

Mr. Đukanović agrees with the statement of the Chief State Prosecutor, Milivoje Katnić, who said that opposition protests “are connected with the fact that first-instance verdicts against the accused in the terrorism attempt are soon to be announced.

“I think that the Chief State Prosecutor is totally right. Among the participants of the protests, you can find a whole conglomerate of political interests. One of the most important interests is the interest of DF. They want to escape from the responsibility for what happened in Montenegro in 2016. Today, when everything is almost over and when verdicts are soon to be announced, the fear in the part of the opposition is obvious. They hope for the revolution, I think. They hope for some earthquake or some other disaster that will destroy the entire institutional system of Montenegro s that we can finally come out of the problems”, said Mr. Đukanović.

He who relies on that has weak arguments.

“A regular court procedure nears completion. And it will finish the way it has to be finished. I really don’t want to make any assumptions. I am not happy with any criminal responsibility. I would actually be the happiest if courts didn’t do anything and if we all acted responsibly. But if somebody dares to infringe national interests and interests of the citizens of Montenegro while endangering their stability and safety, well, then, there must not be any compromise”, said Mr. Đukanović.

Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro

Journalists asked the president if there’s any danger for Montenegro when it comes to the delimitation of Kosovo and Serbia. He said that “there’s no such an autonomous system that could say “you know, you won’t be affected by anything that happens in our surroundings”.

“However, I’m not stimulating paranoia. Are we the Montenegro that managed to preserve peace in the 90s? We are. Therefore, is it possible that some unfavorable scenarios are constructed here? It depends on us and our responsibility, as well as on our ability to maintain our stability, our multi-ethnic harmony and our European perspective. If we have a consistent state policy, a clear vision and enough courage to endure problems, then I’m an optimist”, said Mr. Đukanović.

Elections in Tuzi, celebration afterwards

Montenegrin president spoke about the elections recently held in Tuzi and about the celebration of the members of Albanian forum that featured the flags of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

“Obviously, they are fashionable, not only in Montenegro but wider. We see it’s a characteristic of mature, European democracies. Therefore, the historical moment has come- the moment when Tuzi has got the status of an independent municipality and when national parties got the chance to manage newly formed municipality. That’s all legitimate. Why haven’t they made a step forward to present the advantages and superiority of their political offer, I ‘m not sure. It is what it is”, said Mr. Đukanović.

He congratulated the coalition of Albanian parties on taking over the responsibility for the administration of Tuzi. He hopes that it will favor the Montenegrin multi-ethnic stability.

“Could something non-affirmative and not very appropriate be registered in that type of celebration? Yes, I think. Should we give enormous importance to that fact now and convey the message of endangered Montenegrin state? No. That would create space for those who are anti-Albanian- oriented and who would rather be categorized in national pens”, said the president.

As far as the leading coalition is concerned, it has sent a clear message – it’s not appropriate, there’s no need for that because this is the country where Albanians have always been safe and had always had complete national affirmation.

Mr. Đukanović thinks that various factors had an impact on the victory of the Albanian forum.

“The feeling of a historical moment and a very significant mobilization of Albanians from the region, I’d say. I had the opportunity to meet them. Of course, I get on well with people who manage Albania and Kosovo. My message for Montenegro in other countries- if you have any problems, say it. We will protect your dignity, equality, your rights based on European standards. But your obligation is to be loyal to the countries you chose as your home. I can’t teach you to be destructive, I can’t tell you who you should choose to be in power”, said Mr. Đukanović.

Coalition DPS – SD- BS lost a vote in the elections.

“We moved to the opposition and there are no problems. I really don’t think that Montenegro’s salvation lies in DPS controlling every part of the government. DPS has enough power, more than enough”, said the president.

He is not afraid of the judgement of history

Mr. Đukanović said loud and clear that he “is not afraid of history just because he knows that everything he did was out of best intentions and with the desire to create well-being in Montenegro.

“I believe my son shares the same opinion. I selfishly want the best for Montenegro, today and always. If you have that kind of an approach in performing public tasks, then you can call it ability. And that’s objective – some are abler than others. The history will tell how able I have been”, concluded Mr. Đukanović.

12 March 2019 - Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Drljević took part in the 17th session of the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee in Strasbourg. The opening of the last negotiating chapter will be acknowledged by the previous efforts of Montenegro and a significant step towards membership, Drljević said, adding that it will also be an additional incentive for intensifying activities. 

"Acceleration of dynamics in the first place depends on us, but also the factors of European politics, as well as the European public. EU support as a whole is crucial to maintain the motivation and continue a committed fulfillment of the remaining obligations, within the provisional and final benchmarks in the negotiating chapters. Neither Montenegro nor the EU should risk omitting a step in the most successful example of the enlargement process," Drljević said in his address to Montenegrin and European parliamentarians. 

He recalled the importance that the Government attaches to reform activities in Chapters 23 and 24, assessing that the commitment of institutions and their latest activities in the fight against corruption and organised crime are the basis for the expectation that the European Commission will soon draft a Report on the fulfillment of interim benchmarks. 

The Chief Negotiator said that Montenegro remains permanently committed to its European path, which has no alternative, but also to maintain good neighbourly relations and cooperation with the countries of the region based on the values that the EU cherished. 

"Montenegro entered the EU integration process with the clear goal of reforming, improving and strengthening its system and society in line with the values of modern democratic systems. After more than six years, the results indicate that we see visible progress and use the process as good preparation for future membership in the EU. So far, we have shown the will and determination to cope with the challenges that this process brings and, I assure you, that will be the case in the future," Drljević stressed. 

Furthermore, he expressed the expectation that the enlargement policy, which also found the place among the priorities of the previous and current presidency, would be a trend followed by the other Member States during their presidency of the EU Council. "We hope that this important EU policy will find its place and support in the next European Parliament and European Commission," the Chief Negotiator concluded.

12 March 2019 - The presence of the European Union in the region and further support to the reform process of the Western Balkan countries are essential for the preservation of peace and security, Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Drljević pointed out. During the meeting on margins of the Informal General Affairs Council in Bucharest, Chief Negotiator Drljević emphasised that despite challenges the EU is currently facing it is important to remain present in the region and strongly dedicates to the enlargement policy.

09 March 2019 - The Government of Montenegro passed the Draft Defence Strategy of Montenegro, the most important strategic document in the field of defence.